Longing
by Cosmic Moon Baby
Summary: Yuuki's restlessness forces her to face the one she left behind, the longing for the forbidden more than she can bear. A Zeki oneshot that takes place after Chapter 60.


**Ok, Chapter 60 has me so worked up that I HAD to let my Zeki flag fly and do this. Call me a dreamer. Call me a wishful thinker. Jeez, call me crazy, but I have always and will always ship Zeki until the very end, whatever it may be. (Prays for even a decent ending to this heart wrenching, yet beautiful manga.) I've never been so worked up over manga before in my freaking life. It has me on pins and needles as my brain tries to come up with how it could possibly end. I'm going to make myself totally nuts if I keep this up. Oh, wait! *is already totally nuts* **

**SO, in the meantime, as we all keep our dreams alive, I'll write Zeki oneshots and fics. That's how we'll do this thing. Maybe all of our good Zeki vibes will help or something. Hehehe. **

**Rated 'M' for some lemony goodness. Angsty as hell, too. Yay! **

**Aaaaand I don't own the characters of Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino sure does, though! :)**

**X-O-X-O**

"_Vampires covet the blood of their loved one. Only after tasting it can they truly be satisfied."_

She'd heard it spoken on more than one occasion, sighing as she paced the floor in the library for what had to have been hundredth time that evening. The Pureblood had been this way since returning to the mansion some days ago, her mind unable to abandon the memory of what had occurred. Yuuki clenched her teeth as she again recalled the warm scent of him…the taste of his skin upon her tongue as she prepared to indulge herself in what she now realized she'd coveted since her exodus from the academy over a year ago.

Though she drank from Kaname fairly regularly, Yuuki had become restless over the past several months, his blood no longer sating her as it once had. She was thoroughly ashamed of herself because of it, but when she'd been with Zero several days before, she'd nearly lost herself entirely, her desire to taste the life flowing through his veins unlike anything she'd ever known. Flames licking at the pit of her stomach, Yuuki clutched at her throat, the longing striking her full force once more. Even so, his words had burned her as he'd spoken them, his cold voice still clear in her mind.

"_Well, you just barely escaped dying."_

Pain shot through her, stabbing at her heart like an army of needles as she recalled the dead look in his eyes…rich lavender eyes that had always shown her so much. Why? Why did things have to be this way?

Sighing mightily, she stole a glance sideways, taking note that the sun had nearly set, bringing a close to another day. Kaname had been called away once more on business, leaving her in Aidou's care in his absence as always. She knew he'd be along to check on her shortly, as she'd been walled up in the library for most of the day despite his urgings for her to join him. He always tried so hard to keep her well while she was in his care, much like a mother hen watching over her chick. Yuuki would've snickered at the thought, had hers not been elsewhere entirely.

She could hear her heart, beating madly as it echoed in her ears. How much longer could she withstand the call? The more she attempted to clear it from her mind…to clear _**him**_ from her mind, the more her thoughts seemed to overtake her. She wanted so much to apologize properly for her actions before, to perhaps be granted even a moment to speak to him normally, as she had always been able. Still, she knew his hatred ran deep and Zero had never been the forgiving type. A melancholy smile touched her lips as she recalled the days they'd spent together at the academy, Zero always by her side, watching over her like some rogue angel.

She wondered if he ever thought of the days long since passed…if he ever thought of her. Though she'd been sure that leaving with Kaname had been the correct choice, as time had passed her surety of the matter had decreased day by day. There hadn't been a single day in over a year that her thoughts hadn't strayed to him, the stoic guardian that she'd left behind.

Of course now she had no right to even request an audience with him. She was no longer the Yuuki that he had watched over since he'd come to the academy. Now she was the very thing he despised most in the world. A Pureblood. Even so, hadn't she always been so? A vampire had lay dormant within her for ten years, though now that she had awakened, Zero had affirmed that she was nothing but his enemy.

As she sat pondering her predicament, the memory of his scent struck her once again, her hand clutching at the collar of her shirt as she nearly doubled over from the ache in her chest. She struggled to breathe, her body feeling as though it were coursing with flame. If this continued, she was sure she wouldn't be able to keep her wits for much longer.

Yuuki glanced at the window once more, her decision coming quickly as she strode forth towards it, grabbing her coat off the back of the nearby chair and draping it around herself as she neared her destination. Her hands took hold of the latches, flinging the window open. Taking a deep breath, she sailed out the window, landing gracefully as a cat on the ground some feet below. Without looking back, she sat off into the embrace of the newly fallen night, not bothering to allow herself time to regret her actions. Now, there was no turning back.

**X-O-X-O**

He strolled down the hallway, having spent the afternoon taking inventory of his beloved trinkets, the day having been suspiciously quiet with Yuuki camped out in the library for its entirety.

Since he'd been appointed Yuuki's caretaker, Aidou could swear his hair was beginning to whiten, his nerves shot nearly constantly as he struggled to rein in the newly awakened Pureblood. In no way did he wish to face the wrath of the master of the house, nor did he wish to keep Yuuki locked away inside the mansion day after day. This left him utterly torn, the vampire at a loss as to how to properly deal with her rampant shenanigans.

As he rounded the corner, he continued his march down the corridor towards the library, a crystal goblet and a pillbox of blood tablets in tow. He was sure that with Kaname gone for the time being that she would be making use of them in his absence.

At last reaching the door, Aidou raised his hand, rapping three times.

"Yuuki Cross? Are you going to make me stand here all night?" he wondered after a time, becoming impatient as he was so apt to do. Fidgeting in place, the blond vampire knocked again, this time with more gusto. Again he waited, and again he received no response from his charge.

"Don't tell me you're sulking. Here, these will make you feel better. I'm coming in," he announced, waiting a moment before pushing the large doors open.

In the darkness, his eyes had no problem taking in the emptiness of the huge room, the goblet falling from his hand and crashing to the floor. He blinked once. Twice. On the third blink he swallowed hard, the dread and panic both hitting him full force.

"No. Inconceivable!" he nearly squeaked, his heart nearly ceasing to beat within his chest. He took note of the open window, the light of the half moon shining through, bathing the floor in its lunar light. Never having been a fool, Aidou was quick to add things up in his mind. Wonderful.

"Yuuki Cross! Do you not value my life one iota? I'm dead. I'm a dead man walking," he muttered, his hand to his forehead as he began to pace. He was quickly growing sick and tired of chasing after her whenever she decided to go romping off to destinations unknown. Every time she did, Kaname would pat her on the head, then proceed to inflict the most humiliating punishments possible unto him. Aidou recalled having been made to count chickpeas in the pantry, shuddering as he remembered wondering if one could actually die of boredom.

"Bloody hell, Yuuki," he sighed, storming out the door as he attempted to begin formulating a plan of action.

**X-O-X-O**

The moon shown down, lighting his path as the hunter made his way to what would serve as his shelter for what remained of the night. The streets of the town were nearly empty after night fell despite the fact that he was on patrol, old habits hard to break as fear of the creatures that stalked the night remained amongst the townspeople. These fears were only reinforced by the tales that had been handed down from one generation to the next for so many years passed.

Zero continued forth, his steps sluggish as he realized just how tired he actually was. His sleep had been disturbed for longer than he could recall, though he was fairly sure he could easily pinpoint what had been the cause. Since she'd left, it seemed he'd not had a decent night's sleep. Lately, it'd gotten so bad that Kaito, his appointed partner from the Association, had demanded that he go see a doctor to obtain sleeping pills in order to overcome his plight.

He'd refused, of course, the young hunter unable to admit defeat so easily. This, he knew, would some day pass. Until then, he was determined to keep going, his blind hatred the driving force behind his persistence. Some day. Some day he would…

His thoughts were interrupted as the scent struck him, his head snapping back as he drank it in. It was all too familiar, a scent that haunted his every waking nightmare. His hand was upon his Bloody Rose, drawing it forth without a second thought as he turned, his aim dead on as the diminutive figure emerged from the shadows, seemingly composed of them.

"You still have a death wish, I see. What are you doing here?" Zero demanded, the figure taking another step forward, then another.

"And your temper is quick as always. I didn't come to cause you any trouble, Zero," her soft, familiar voice informed him, his gun still aimed as he stood his ground. She continued forth until it was pressed firmly against her chest, her head tilting back as she looked up at him.

"I find that hard to believe. What other reason would drive you to come here, if not to bring misfortune unto someone?" he nearly growled, the plethora of emotions within him nearly enough to overwhelm him.

"I wanted…I need to talk to you," Yuuki answered, his scowl seeming to deepen as he took in her words.

"We have nothing to discuss," he shot back, pulling back until his weapon was no longer pressed against the resting place of her heart.

"But we do. Won't you hear me? Even if this is the last time, I…"

"The time for talking was over long ago, Pureblood. I thought you understood that," he said, at last holstering his gun. She was hurt by his harshness, though she fully understood the reasons behind it. She'd done horrible things to him, had treated him in ways he'd not deserved, and all because of her own selfishness.

She wondered, as she stood there gazing up at him, if he would ever be able to forgive her of her sins against him. Here mere existence, she realized, was a sin in his eyes, though there was little she could do to change her station. Still, she was determined to have him hear her out, even if he still rejected her afterward. The pain would be devastating, that much she knew. But even being here with him was a comfort in itself, knowing he was near after being away from him for so long.

"Who determined that to be true? Zero, we…"

"We? There is no "we". Not anymore," he said, turning to take his leave, her heart threatening to shatter as he began to stalk away from her. Setting her jaw, Yuuki's arm stretched out, her fingers taking hold of his coat sleeve, his anger swift to come down upon her. He spun, his the "clink" of the chain attached to his gun sounding in the night before she heard the hammer click. All he had to do now was pull the trigger. Still, she held fast, unable to let go.

"Let go of me…right now," he ordered, her fingers wrapping around the hand that held his gun. Her proximity was doing ungodly things to him, his anger threatening to give way to the longing that he'd tried to bury for so very long. He had to fight it. If not…

"I won't," she said simply. "Not again."

"I _**will**_ kill you, Yuuki," he told her, his voice cold as he delivered his ultimate threat. She'd heard it before and each time it had plunged another dagger into her heart, leaving her feeling completely lost.

"Perhaps. But not now," she retorted, "because I think even now you wish to hear what I have to say."

"Arrogant as expected," he muttered, the feeling of her touch upon him dredging up memories he'd long since attempted to lay to rest. Attempting to clear his mind, the hunter growing tired of standing in the cold, he at last relented, speaking the words she'd anxiously awaited.

"Fine," he said, her fingers at last releasing his hand, Zero cursing himself inwardly for immediately missing her warmth.

"This way," he told her, gesturing towards their destination as he again holstered his weapon.

"After you," Zero insisted, Yuuki taking the lead as they made their way through the seemingly deserted town towards his home for the night.

Upon their arrival, the hunter stopped, Yuuki looking at him, a bit puzzled.

"You can't walk in. It's sealed with an anti-vampire ward. I'll a…I'll have to carry you again," he informed her, the idea seeming to disgust him.

"Oh. Ok," she agreed, taking a sharp breath as he bent down, his arm wrapping around her before he easily lifted her off the ground, slinging her over his shoulder just as he had some days before. The scent of him again flooded her, leaving her head spinning as he began moving forward, his hand resting upon her back.

The hunter entered the small apartment, bare of anything but the necessities, a single window cut into the wall. This was where he retreated when he wanted no one to find him. Though he normally stayed in one of the Association safe houses, this dwelling was nestled in the far side of town, where few ever passed through, making it ideal when he found himself in no mood to deal with other living beings. This was one such night.

Even so, he entered with her slung over his shoulder, much like he'd carried her before when he'd come upon her, injured and bleeding at the hands of Touma not so many days before.

Yuuki, feeling akin to a sack of potatoes, heard the door as he slammed it shut behind them before finding herself being lowered. Her breath caught as her body slid along the length of his, her hands on his shoulders as her feet touched the ground. His warm scent bombarded her, nearly making her drunk as she attempted to regain control before she made an idiot of herself once more. Her hands slid down his biceps before she took a step back, wondering exactly when he'd gotten so strong. She could feel the muscle beneath her hands, her fingertips tingling form the momentary contact.

"Thank you," she managed, taking a small step back in order to crane her neck, her eyes making him out easily in the dark room. The same coldness remained, a hard line drawn across his familiar face. Without any response, he delivered his command, removing his coat and tossing it over a nearby chair without taking his eyes off her. He seemed overly cautious, though she realized that after so much, she couldn't dare hold it against him.

"You wanted to talk? So talk," he told her, his arms hanging at his sides as he continued staring down at her, making her stomach flutter. Yuuki was utterly torn, unsure of whether she wanted to hurl herself at him or flee from him entirely, feeling somewhat like a cornered prey as she kept his gaze. That, she realized, is exactly what she was to him now. He lived for the chance to kill the likes of her, the Purebloods that he so hated with every last fiber of his being. How much, she wondered, did he wish to draw forth his Bloody Rose and bring an end to her? The thought perturbed her greatly, for she was yet unsure if he'd truly follow through with his past threats against her and her kind.

She swallowed hard, fidgeting under his intense gaze, her nerve breaking down as the moments passed them by. Her chest burned, the scent of him swirling all around her, making her body warm as she attempted to fight off the urges growing within. He noticed the change in her…easily recognized what was occurring before him. Her eyes grew wide as his hand took hold of her chin, his grip strong and her heart nearly skipping a beat.

"Hurts, doesn't it? Feels as though your veins are on fire?" he wondered, her hand stretching out, fisting in the front of his shirt as she grit her teeth.

"Don't mock me," she said, nearly breathless as he scoffed at her apparent distress.

"You don't think I have the right, _vampire_?" he asked, her fingers tight in the fabric of his shirt, the Pureblood pulling herself closer to him as her vision began to blur.

"Have you yet to realize," she said through ragged breaths, "that you and I aren't so very different?"

His anger was swift to flare, his fingers wrapping around her arm as he jerked her forward, her body colliding with the hard wall of his chest. She could feel his breathing, hard and ragged as her own as her body trembled in his grip.

"Make no mistake. I am _**nothing**_ like you," he spat. Even so, he felt his own thirst stirring, something that he'd fought long and hard to quell at any cost. But now, she was so close…too close. It would be so easy to end it all here. This night could release him from his anguish, free him from the pain that had plagued him for so very long. As much as he attempted to convince himself of this, the young hunter knew quite well that it was a lie. The only thing that could truly sate him, that could truly make him content after the life he'd faced, was standing just before him, her breaths jagged as she shivered against him.

"We want the same thing. You know that," she said, feeling faint as the urge to taste the blood of her loved one surged forth, her fangs aching in her mouth.

"Perhaps," she told him, "you should just draw that gun of yours and end this. I'm nothing more than wretched and I've hurt you more than anyone should know. End it, Zero. Give us both peace," she requested, struggling for breath as she felt him shift, removing his holster. She looked up, amazed as he sat his holstered gun on the table beside them, his arm then snaking around her, pulling her impossibly closer.

"I won't give you the satisfaction of ending your misery," he said darkly, "because you've yet to know the full extent of it."

A small laugh escaped her, her body aflame as she tilted her head back, her hair falling away and exposing the column of her neck. She saw his eyes widen, his grip on her almost painful as she watched him wage his own battle against the craving that she knew still owned him.

"Since when have you become so cruel, Zero? Has your heart abandoned you entirely?" she wondered, weakened so by his scent that she could barely function any longer.

"Any heart that remained within me…you took with you when you left," he said, a sharp pain piercing through her at his words.

"I have no need for it any longer."

"You lie," she accused, the pain ungodly as she prepared to face whatever fate her next actions would bring her. Lacing her arms about his neck, she pulled him down towards her, her neck bared and taunting him, his senses peaked as he was thrown into a near frenzy. Without his consent, his hand rose, his thumb stroking along her neck, feeling the beautiful pulse thumping madly beneath her skin.

Yuuki heard the low growl rumbling in the back of his throat, knowing well what was to come. This was perhaps his only weakness, and if she had to exploit it in order to be close to him, she was far beyond being concerned by the fact.

"Nothing has really changed, has it? We're both driven to covet the same thing…the blood of the one we love," she nearly whispered, her breath hot against his neck as she felt the familiar sensation of his tongue as it trailed along her skin, tasting her.

"I don't love," he tried, feeling his fangs pressing against his lips despite his vain attempts to hold his thirst at bay. She was right. Damn her to hell, she was absolutely right.

"Then hate me," she whispered, hands clinging desperately to his shoulders, his hand moving to cradle her head, his other clasping her to him tightly. She gasped as his fingers tightened in her hair, pulling her head back almost painfully as his internal struggle neared its end.

"Maybe," he noted, "they're one in the same."

A soft moan left her as his fangs at last pierced her flesh, her feet leaving the floor as he drew her impossibly closer, nearly crushing her small form in his grip as he drank without reserve. The scent of fresh blood was nearly her undoing, her own bloodlust beseeching her to do what was absolutely forbidden. Still she longed for it, to at last be granted the taste of him…to drink him in, to feel his essence dance with her own.

Delicate fingers worked of their own accord, clearing his hair away from his neck, exposing the bold black lines of the tattoo that she knew covered the scars he'd carried for five years. Through the haze surrounding her, Yuuki managed to say what she knew she had no right to.

"Zero, I long for your blood…for you," she managed breathlessly, her lips touching his neck tenderly as he continued drawing forth the life flowing within her veins. She winced as he became almost feral, his mouth punishing as he took in the only blood in existence that could begin to sate him, his lips leaving bruises in their wake.

At last he forced himself to break free, his chin stained red, his chest heaving from the effort. Without warning, her tongue darted out, lapping at the crimson marring his skin, the taste of her own blood dancing along her tongue.

Yuuki was vaguely aware of being carried a few steps to the bed in the corner of the small room, Zero sitting upon its mattress, leaving her perched upon his lap. Instincts commandeering her entire being, she could no longer fight it, the Pureblood moving to straddle him as she leaned forward, breathing in his sweet, nostalgic scent. That scent had brought her much comfort over the years they'd been together, always assuring her that he were near to keep her shadows at bay.

Her hands cradled his face between them, the silver haired vampire closing his eyes as his thirst faded, having been satisfied for the first time since she'd left him behind over a year ago. As much as he wanted to deny it, the feeling of those tender hands was just the same as it had always been, her cool touch soothing him, taming the beast he'd become like no one else would ever be able.

He still longed to feel those hands upon him, to hear her voice and be by her side as he'd always been. Yet fate had dealt a blow so severe that he doubted any semblance of normalcy would ever again exist between them. It was true that the love and hatred he harbored for her had melded into one, leaving him unable to determine one from the other. Still, whatever nameless emotions lie within him, he was sure of the fact that they were all consuming, leaving him stripped of the self control he was so infamous for.

The thought alone angered him, made him question his own strength and ability. How could one being, much less a Pureblood, cause this much emotion to rage inside him? He'd turned the question over and over again in his mind and had yet to come to a single conclusion. Zero knew but one thing to be absolute: the girl in his arms had been the only light remaining in his life after the bloodbath he'd lived through five years ago.

If not for her, he'd have given up long ago, would never have known the life he currently led. Perhaps, he thought, it would've been a blessing to have been spared this existence, wishing only for the opportunity to kill those which he considered to be plagues upon the human world…a world which he was no longer a part of.

His small reverie was broken as he felt the warmth of her lips upon his skin once more, his mind recalling the night he'd lost his family…the night he'd been forced to lose his humanity. Somehow, this was nothing like it'd been that night, Zero cursing himself inwardly as he realized he'd indeed been longing for this moment to transpire between them.

The last of his obstinacy at last fading, he allowed his head to be tilted in her hands, baring his neck with no regret. He sighed as her fangs sank deeply into the muscle of his neck, his hands gripping her to his chest tightly, unwilling to allow any more distance between them.

His blood flooded her senses, pushed them nearly to overload as she drank of his essence, the taste unlike anything she'd ever known. Yuuki allowed her eyes to slit shut as she took him in, the euphoria blanketing her, wrapping her in its embrace.

Her veins felt warm, her entire body alive as his blood slid down her throat, her mouth hungry as she clutched at him hard, fearing he'd fade away…that this was but a dream crafted from the musings of her own mind. At any moment she was sure she'd awaken to find him gone, a thought that caused her heart to ache. She'd been away from him for far too long already. She wouldn't dare to abandon him again. Not after so much.

Pulling back, her tongue lapped at the blood trickling down the column of his neck, lapped at the wounds she'd inflicted as if to mend them until they'd ceased to bleed.

Yuuki was awestruck as his fingers wound through her hair, bringing her head forward to rest against his shoulder with a gentleness that she was sure he'd lost long ago. He felt her warm breath beating against his neck, her hand coming to rest upon his chest as the pair attempted to regain even a shred of composure.

He was content to hold her for a time, feeling her chest rise and fall as she leaned against him, one arm laced about him tightly. Zero had longed for moments such as these since they were children, even after the Yuuki he'd always known had been devoured by the Pureblood in his embrace. He wanted to hate her, had tried to hate her, and yet here he was, still unable to let her go. He'd been convinced that their dealings with one another had come to an end, though it seemed that he'd been entirely wrong. He wanted her, needed her and now that she was in his arms once again, he was unsure of whether or not he _**could**_ let her go.

"Did you get what you came for?" he wondered, breathing in the soft scent of her, his desires growing almost painful with her so close against him.

Her head rose, Zero studying her face as her fingers moved to trace the shape of his lips. Her touch nearly sent him into an entirely new frenzy, his heart thumping rapidly within his chest.

"That's not why I came," she told him, then trailing her fingers along the curve of his jaw. It was as if she was touching him for the first and last time all at once, her heart aflame as she realized this may in fact be the last time she was allowed this pleasure.

"You've always been a shitty liar," he noted, a touch of melancholy lacing his voice.

"I'm not lying. I just…I wanted this. Just this. Just you," she said, utterly shocked to her core as the last thing she ever expected occurred.

His lips were warm as they touched hers, her eyes going wide before at last slitting shut, his hand cradling her head as she clung to him as if he would disappear.

Zero cursed himself for his actions, though he knew it was futile to attempt to control them any longer. He'd taken to living his life day to day, never knowing what the next would hold. He'd come to have such a collection of regrets that there was no way he was going to add another to it. The hunter recalled all the moments he'd taken for granted when she'd been by his side, always assuming she'd remain just that. He'd been nearly defeated when the truth of her origins had been revealed, had nearly lost the battle against his own demons before at last finding it within himself to carry on.

All that seemed futile now, however, the saccharine taste of her leaving him prepared to beg for more. It felt so natural to touch her like this, as if he'd done it so many times before. He recalled the only time he'd been granted such a luxury…on the day his only light had been taken from him, leaving him enveloped in darkness once more.

He heard the soft sounds coming from his companion, reveling in the feeling of her small hands as they trailed up his chest, coming to rest upon either side of his neck. At last he pulled back, the metallic taste of their blood mingling together on his lips.

"You should go," he told her, moving to deposit her from her position astride him, her hands clinging to him despite his words. He couldn't take this blissful torture much longer, that he knew to be true. The longer he allowed her to remain in his arms, the harder it would be to watch her walk out the door, not knowing if or when he'd be able to be close to her again. Her fingers gripped the front of his shirt tightly, the Pureblood having no intention of changing her current position.

"I don't want things to be this way, Zero. You must know that I…" she trailed off, unable to bring herself to hurt him yet again with her words.

"You what? Just say what you mean to say," he told her, his palm smoothing along her back despite his efforts to control himself. Her body felt so fragile under his hands, as if she would break should he handle her too roughly. How long, he wondered, would this game continue between them?

"I can't. I…"

"Then get off of me and get out before your lover comes looking for you," he nearly spat, angry tears welling up in her eyes. Her hands framed his face once again, lightning surging through him as he felt the heat of her breath beating upon his lips.

"Zero…I love you. I love you," she whispered at last, before her lips claimed his, his arms almost crushing her as he pulled her close against him, unable to resist the urgings of his most primal nature. Love? How could anyone utter such a thing to him after all the sins he'd committed in this life? And how could she of all beings alive dare to speak those words to him after everything that had transpired? He wanted to push her away, to shout his steadily burning anger after hearing her words, and yet he found himself to be drowning in them…drowning in her and the kiss that was slowly intoxicating him, stripping him of all reason entirely.

Struggling for breath, Yuuki felt as though she were suffocating, his arms binding her to him with a strength she never knew him to possess. Her body felt hot, her senses bombarded with the scent and taste of him, her body already responding wickedly to his touch. He was right. She _**should**_ leave…and yet she couldn't force herself to break free from his embrace. If this continued, she realized what the outcome would be. Even so, the thought of leaving him once again was enough to cause her heart to ache, the Pureblood princess wanting nothing more than to remain in his arms.

She soon tasted her own blood, his tongue touching hers, their kiss intensifying as time seemed to still, the rest of the world becoming obsolete as the two sat absorbed in one another. Never had she thought this would come, though she'd not been able to accept the fate of the relationship between them. Guilt crossed her mind, though she was quick to quell it, not wishing to spoil the moment at hand.

Of course she loved her brother, loved him dearly, in fact. But without the man under her hands, she was simply incomplete, something that had become painfully obvious to her in the passing months. Though she knew her actions were forbidden, that what she was doing was unforgivable, she couldn't walk away. She couldn't leave the owner of her heart behind yet again.

Suddenly, their lips parted, snapping her back to the reality she faced, both their chests heaving as they struggled for breath. His words both frightened and thrilled her, though she attempted to keep her fears at bay.

"If you don't go now, I can't promise I won't hurt you," he said, his voice gruff as his hand cleared her hair from her face, his body aflame and giving him much grief as she continued to perch astride him.

"I can't go," she told him, "and I won't mind if you hurt me."

He sighed mightily, knowing well where this night would lead, should he not put an end to their actions prematurely. Zero knew what he wanted…what he coveted more than anything else. Even so, the thought of bringing her harm was enough to force him attempt to push her away.

"Don't be so damn naïve. I'm still just a man, Yuuki," he said, his hands gripping her waist, pushing her back in order to put space between them before he completely lost control of himself.

She was shocked more to hear him speak her name than by anything else, her heart nearly skipping a beat as it left his lips. He hadn't uttered her name in over a year, had only spat the word "vampire" in her direction each time they'd met. Hearing her name leave his lips nearly elated her, a small smile touching her lips.

"You said my name," she said simply, her heart seeming to burn in her chest as he looked down upon her. Only then did he realize it, a bit shocked by his own words. He was being made entirely witless by the moment at hand, his instincts quickly getting the best of him. She gasped as he stood, sitting her on her feet.

"Go," he said again, horrified as he saw the rogue tear as it trailed down her cheek. The sight pained him greatly, the vampire never having been able to stand the sight of her tears. Before he realized it, he'd leaned forward, his tongue lapping at her cheek, tasting the salt of her tears.

"I won't go," she affirmed, allowing her coat to slip off her shoulders before landing at her feet. She took his hand, Zero nearly awestruck as she placed his palm upon her rapidly beating heart.

"This belongs to you, Zero," she told him, "and it always has."

She felt herself being lifted once again before being laid upon the mattress behind her, his larger frame blanketing her as he descended upon her like a hungry predator. A predator, she knew, is exactly what he was, though she was at peace with being his intended prey.

His hands moved slowly, unbuttoning her shirt as she watched him, her breaths ragged as she felt any apprehension that remained draining away as the moments passed them by. Parting her shirt, she felt the warmth of his hands as they crept under her camisole, running along her sides. Yuuki felt a bit embarrassed as her eyes met his, watching her from above as he continued hovering over her, his hands running slowly along the bare skin beneath her shirt.

She gasped as his fingers touched her breast, kneading her flesh and causing heat to pool in her stomach. It felt as though pure lightning was surging through her veins, Yuuki immediately missing his touch as he withdrew his hand. She watched as he roughly pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it aside and leaving his chest bare.

Likewise she managed to wriggle out of her shirt, leaving her in her camisole as she lay beneath him. Heat surged through him as her small hands touched his naked skin, running along the defined lines of his torso. His body had changed so much in the five years she'd known him, Zero no longer a gangly, awkward boy. Now, he'd grown into a fine specimen of a man, his strength evident by each line and sinew of his body.

He allowed her to continue her explorations, her touch something he'd longed for longer than he could recall. Though he wanted so much to resist the temptation she presented him, he'd long since passed going back. Now, the love he'd always harbored for her had overshadowed any fabricated hatred he'd ever possessed. All he could do was touch her…love her, in the only way he was capable. Words, he knew, were futile now.

Her palm came to rest upon the resting place of his heart, Yuuki surprised to feel his heart beating as rapidly as her own. Her arms laced around him, bringing him down upon her, his hand diving beneath her camisole once more. Warm skin beneath his fingers, the vampire felt all control leaving him, wondering how long it would be before she was begging him to stop. As much as he longed for this moment, it also terrified him, for he feared hurting her despite all that had occurred, feared the possibility of causing her to leave him yet again.

Zero heard the soft moan as it left her, urging him to continue, his hands taking hold of her camisole and lifting it over her head, flinging it into oblivion. He wasn't surprised as her arms moved to cover her bare chest, his fingers tracing along the line of her jaw softly.

"Wait," she asked, a trace of a smile touching his lips.

"You don't need to hide yourself from me," he told her, his hands taking hold of her wrists and pinning them above her head, his mouth lowering to close around one humble mound of flesh. She gasped, her body arching into him, shocking the Pureblood to her core. He'd barely even touched her and she already felt as though her body would shatter, every drop of blood within her feeling alive.

"Zero… she managed, one hand holding her wrists in place as his other snaked down her hip, diving beneath her skirt and moving along the inside of her thigh. She nearly lost herself entirely as he touched the warmth between her thighs, his hand cupping her heat. Her body was burning, his touch only fueling the inferno building within her, leaving her nearly breathless beneath him.

"You should've left when you had the chance," he said, "because I'm not going to stop."

"Then don't," she told him, her body aching for him as he released her wrists in order to strip her entirely, leaving her bare beneath him and feeling utterly helpless.

He captured her lips, his tongue invading them, tasting her thoroughly as his hand moved to part her thighs. Yuuki nearly shouted as his one finger slipped in side her, followed shortly by another as he continued to intoxicate her with his deep kiss. Her arms wrapped themselves about his neck, the girl clinging desperately to him as his fingers continued to move inside her, his lips breaking from hers in order to trail along her neck. They flowed then along her chest, between her breasts and down her stomach before reaching their destination.

Her shoulders left the mattress as he took his position, his hand gripping one thigh, spreading them further apart to allow him greater access. His tongue touched the tenderness between her thighs, her voice crying out in the night as he lapped at her, her body surrendering to him as his fingers and tongue wreaked ungodly havoc upon her.

"Zero…Ze…" she managed, before crying out again, unable to believe such sounds were coming from her, his fingers quickening their movements as he licked at her ruthlessly.

At last she felt herself falling, crying his name desperately as she fell, her body shuddering as she found release. She felt him pull back, his fingers slipping out of her, his hands unbuckling his belt as she attempted to recover. He looked down at her as he shed what clothing remained upon him, Yuuki enthralled by the sight of his naked form.

Her hands moved, running along the panes of his chest before moving further down, over his abdomen and to his straining arousal. A near growl issued forth from his throat, the vampire nearing the end of his control as she took him in her hands. He allowed her exploration for as long as he was able before gently pushing her back down, his hands taking hold of her thighs as he parted them, taking his place between them. He kissed her fiercely, his want flowing into his kiss as her hands ran along the heat of his naked skin.

"Hold on to me," he told her, Yuuki glad to oblige, her arms lacing around his torso as he prepared to commit what could be the greatest sin of his life.

"I'm sorry," he breathed, his hands positioning her before his body surged into hers, her painful cry nearly his end. He'd broken through the last barrier between them, the smell of blood soon striking them both once again.

He forced himself to keep still for a moment, allowing her body time to adjust to his invasion as she lay there, pain written across her face.

"It won't hurt for long," he promised, pushing a bit further into her. Her body was so tight around him, making it increasingly difficult for him to maintain any semblance of control.

He moved slowly, her heat all consuming as he found himself becoming lost within her, her body slowly adjusting to him. Her soft voice drove him on, his name sounding like some sacred mantra as she clung to him, his hands gripping the backs of her thighs as he continued making love to the one being alive that had managed to tame him and hold his heart in her hands.

"Does it hurt?" he wondered, Yuuki not daring to admit the truth. In fact, it was painful, more so than anything she'd ever experienced, save for the pain of losing him. However, there was no way she was willing to tell him so, not wanting to spoil this cherished moment they shared.

"I'm alright," she assured him. "Go on."

Her words were enough to sate him, his pace steadily quickening until he found himself driving hard into her, her small frame rocking beneath him, her legs laced around his, her arms still clinging desperately to him.

"Yuuki…" he growled, pulling out just before he met his end, his warm essence spilling across her stomach, his chest heaving as he again hovered above her, the smell of blood and sex in the air around them.

After a moment, he was on his feet, retrieving a towel before returning to her. She watched through half lidded eyes as he wiped his spent desire from her stomach until no trace of it remained. Soon, she felt the bed shift as he lay beside her, his hand cupping her cheek as he turned her towards him. She moved in against him, an almost automatic action, his arms enveloping her in much the same fashion. The two lay, breathless and in a moderate amount of shock as they realized what they'd done, though neither of them could find it in themselves to fret over it at the time.

His eyes closed as her lips touched his throat softly before trailing along his chest, her tongue darting out to taste his skin. Trailing back up his neck, her lips found his, Yuuki tasting what traces of blood remained upon his tongue.

"Will you still wish to kill me after this night is over?" she wondered, her fingers trailing lightly along his cheek. He seemed lost in thought for a time, making her a bit more than nervous before delivering a response.

"Will you keep running from me?"

"No, I'm done running. I know it won't be easy, but…"

"Not now. Even if tonight is all we have, it's ours. If tomorrow we go back to being enemies…" he began, only to be cut short.

"I've never been your enemy, Zero," she told him, untold emotions swirling within the depths of her eyes as she looked him through.

"Whatever dawn brings, I'm here with you now. Tonight, I won't let you go," he vowed, her eyes closing as his lips claimed hers once more, his arms tight around her as she lost herself to his embrace.

**X-O-X-O **

**And we'll leave it at that. Yuuki can figure out what she's gonna' do now on her own. She doesn't need my help. Heeeeheeeee. Poor Aidou's gonna' get bitched slap for letting this happen! Oh no! ;p**

**In my little world, this is how things happen. MAN I wish my dreams would materialize in the manga some day. I'd literally gasp and go into full cardiac arrest thereafter. Yeah. Too bad Hino-sensei isn't a perv like me. Oops. **

**Thanks for reading!**

***Cosmic* **


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